ENC1102-U64: Writing and Rhetoric II
Florida International University, Spring 2015
Instructor: Nicholas Anderson
Email: nande014@fiu.edu
Classroom: GC278A
Office: TBA (text for current location)
Phone: (786)374-6149 (Texts only)
Class Times: T/R 8:00-9:15
Office Hours: M 12:00-12:50
T 9:15-10:00
W 2:00-2:50
Course Description:
This course is the second in a two-course sequence for writing. ENC1101 provided an
introduction to college writing and the use of rhetoric, and ENC1102 continues to develop those skills
with extra emphasis on research.
ENC1102 will help students cultivate their abilities to locate, evaluate, and document research
sources. They will also learn to incorporate those sources into their own writing in a responsible and
rhetorically effective manner. Both primary and secondary research methods will be used.
Rather than a number of separate research topics, in ENC1102 students will have the
opportunity to select their own research topic and continue developing their knowledge on that topic
with multiple essays and research assignments throughout the semester.
This class will utilize numerous short writing assignments to help improve your writing ability.
Expect to write frequently both in class and for homework. The goal of these writing assignments is not
for you to write to a specific word count, but rather they will ask you to think critically and to reflect on
your research process and acquisition of knowledge. This course will utilize an active learning
environment and will include group work, class discussions, peer review, and conferences. In addition to
these shorter assignments, there will be four major writing assignments ranging from 1,000-2,000 words
that will require the full writing process.
Learning Outcomes:
By the end of the course you will be able to:
 Write to achieve varying purposes and to engage different audiences;
 Understand the structure of closed-form arguments (including claim, reasons, evidence,
counter-argument, and underlying assumptions);
 Employ effective rhetorical appeals;
 Generate research questions that lead to meaningful inquiry;
 Show knowledge of conventions of academic research, including the ability to locate, evaluate,
and document sources and to incorporate sources effectively into their work;
 Further their rhetorical vocabulary for understanding and talking about writing, becoming more
adept at understanding and employing rhetorical concepts taught in ENC 1101 and learning new
concepts related to research and argumentation.
 Understand the complexities of academic plagiarism.
 *Course Description and Learning Outcomes adapted from the English Department website:
http://english.fiu.edu/writing-and-rhetoric/
Required Materials:
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A composition book or journal for our various reflection and in-class writing activities
Ramage, John D., et al. The Allyn & Bacon Guide to Writing: Customized for FIU. 5th edition. New
York: Pearson Learning Solutions.
Lunsford, Andrea. The Everyday Writer. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's.
Reliable access to the internet for submitting and printing major assignments
Grading:
In order to pass ENC 1102 you must receive a "C" or higher. A "C-" or lower will result in having to repeat
ENC 1102. Your final grade will be determined by:
 Major Essay 1: Exploratory Narrative 20%
 Major Essay 2: Research Proposal 10%
 Major Essay 3: Informative Article 20%
 Major Essay 4: Classical Argument 20%
 Participation and Homework 10%
 Quizzes & Minor Essays 10%
 Reflection/Research Journal 10%
 Note: Failure to turn in any one of the four major essays will result in automatic failure of the
course
Course Policies:
Attendance: Attendance is expected. Missing a class will lower your participation grade. Please plan
accordingly. As per departmental requirements, missing more than six classes will result in failure of
the course.
Participation: You are expected to be prepared before class so that you may participate actively and
fully in the day's activities. Preparation includes doing the readings, completing homework, bringing
drafts for peer-review and so on. Furthermore, you must bring your Allyn & Bacon textbook and journal
to each class meeting.
Late Assignments: All assignments are due by the beginning of class on the due date. For major essays,
the grade will be reduced by five points for every day a final draft is late. FAILURE TO TURN IN ANY ONE
OF THE MAJOR WRITING PROJECTS TO TURNITIN.COM WILL RESULT IN FAILING THE COURSE (“F”).
Smaller assignments will not be given credit if submitted late.
You are responsible for confirming every assignment submission to turnitin.com to ensure it
went through. Turnitin.com website errors are not a valid excuse for late work. If you experience a
technology error when submitting to turnitin.com, email the assignment to me as an attachment by the
due date and time to ensure you receive full credit.
Extra Credit: You will be able to revise ONE (1) of the first three major papers for a better grade. Late or
unfinished essays cannot be revised in this manner. If your revised essay receives a higher score, it will
replace the grade of your original essay. Additionally, extra credit will be rewarded for participating in
primary research at the university. As we begin unit 3 and learn about conducting primary research,
students will have the opportunity to participate in the research of grad students and professors of the
university. After participating in the research, you may write a short reflection on the experience to
demonstrate what you have learned. This extra credit grade can replace your lowest quiz or
participation grade.
Electronics: Cell phones or other related devices are not allowed in class, except under special
circumstances. Please speak to me if you have an exceptional situation in which it is imperative that you
use one of these devices. Using laptops or tablet PCs in class is a privilege and one that can be revoked.
All students who choose to use laptops or tablets must sit in one of the first two rows of the classroom
to ensure you stay on track. You should also be prepared to aid the class with background information
or searches from the web if asked.
Disability Resource Center: If this exceptional situation is due to a disability you will need to register
with the Disability Resource Center. You can find more information here at http://drc.fiu.edu.
Original Assignments Policy: All assignments must be originally completed for this class. Assignments
submitted from previous classes (including ENC 1101) or other current classes will receive a zero.
Plagiarism: Plagiarism is using someone else's work - words, ideas, or illustrations, published or
unpublished - without giving the creator of that work sufficient credit. Put simply, if you incorporate
work that you did not create yourself into your assignments, you must cite it, i.e. give credit. This is
considered plagiarism whether it is committed intentionally or unintentionally. You are ultimately
responsible for anything you turn in and include in your work. Students who plagiarize at FIU can face
serious consequences that range from failure of the class to expulsion.
We will discuss plagiarism further as the course progresses. If you are ever unsure about your citations
or quotations, ask the instructor before you submit your work. For more information, please visit:
www2.fiu.edu/~oabp/misconductweb/1acmisconductproc.htm
Title V Emphasis in this Course
Our ENC1102 course will be a part of FIU’s Title V program, a national initiative to improve the
academic success of students whose first language is not English. In general, this course is like any other
ENC1102 course but with some added emphasis on multicultural contexts, audiences, and the choices
we make as we write and read in college.
I believe that these changes will help you to think more broadly about the languages and
cultures in our increasingly globalized world. They will also bring an international flavor to much of what
we do in the course and will support the campus global initiative.
If you ever experience difficulties related to language or culture issues in this class, please
discuss them with me and I will assist you to the best of my abilities.
Help and Resources
If you ever have a problem that could prevent or hinder your academic success, please contact
me first! I will help however I am able. It is my desire to see all of you succeed. My office hours and
phone number are listed at the top of the syllabus if you ever need to speak with me outside of class.
However, there may be issues that are beyond my ability or time to resolve. In such a case,
below you will find several resources that may be helpful:
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I’m having trouble with a writing assignment:
The Center for Excellence in Writing is a great resource that can offer you individual assistance
with your paper. Their aid covers the spectrum of writing difficulties and can be used for
beginning steps to final revisions. This is a great resource and can be very beneficial even to
seasoned writers. The Writing Center is located in GL120. Walk-ins are accepted but
appointments are preferred. For more information, visit: http://writingcenter.fiu.edu
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I’m very stressed, depressed, or have personal problems that might interfere with my
classwork or other areas of my life:
FIU’s Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) offers assistance to students who may have
problems with anxiety, stress, depression, relationship issues, or other personal concerns.
College is difficult and so is the transition to college. There is nothing wrong with receiving help.
For more information, visit: http://counselingservices.fiu.edu/default.aspx
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I have a diagnosed disability and need accommodations in order to do my best:
Please contact and register with the Disability Resource Center, located in GC, if you require
such accommodations. You can also contact them online at: http://drc.fiu.edu.
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I need help with a multimedia project.
The Digital Writing Studio helps students and faculty with such projects as PowerPoint, videos,
podcasts, voice overs, website design, multimedia research projects, ePortfolios, and many
more. The DWS is located in DM across the hall from the linguistics lab and they can also be
contacted online at: http://webdept.fiu.edu/~laurenbe/
Tentative Course Schedule
Unit 0- Introduction & ENC1101 Review
1/12-1/16
No major essays for this unit
Unit 1- Exploratory Narrative
1/19-2/15
Exploratory Narrative due by 2/15 to Turnitin.com at midnight
Unit 2- Research Proposal
2/16-3/1
Research Proposal due by 3/1 to Turnitin.com at midnight
Unit 3- Informative Article
3/2-4/5
Informative Article due by 4/5 to Turnitin.com at midnight
Unit 4- Classical Argument
4/6-5/1
Classical Argument due by 5/1 to Turnitin.com at midnight
More detailed information as well as daily PowerPoints can be found on the class website at:
ProfessorNAnderson.com